Refrigerating apparatus



Jan. 27, 1931.

G. A. BUVINGER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 31. 1927 Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE A. BUVINGER, 0F DAYTON, OHIO, vASSIIITNOEE, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application filed October 31, 1927f Serial No. 229,920.

rlhis invention relates to refrigerating ap.-

paratus, particularly to cabinets having compartments for storing different materials at different temperatures.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved and simplifiedv arrangement for maintaining two compartments in a cabinet at different temperatures present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown. s

In the'drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a refrigerating cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thru the cabinet on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.. v

c The apparatusaccording to the invention includes a brine tank 10 in which are sleeves or containers 11, designed moreparticularly forL cans of ice cream. The brine tank is provided with insulating side walls 12, bettom wall 13 and top wall 14, and a heat conducting wall 15, the to wall having suitable openings 16-closcd by covers 17 to give access to the containers 11. The brine within the tank is chilled by any suitable refrigerating element, such as an evaporator 18 connected to any suitable refrigerating apparatus, not shown.

Adjacent the brine tank is a storage compartment 20 radapted to receive any desired articles to be cooled, for example, bottled drinks.

lated.

The compartment 20 is also enclosed by insulating side walls 21, bottom wall 22 and top wall 23, the latter having an opening 24 closed by a cover 25 to provide access to the compartment. Preferably all of the walls mentioned form a single v integralI cabinet in which the brine tank 10 and compartment 20 are inserted. All ot the insulating-walls are designed to afford completeinsulation'for the contents within,

that is, they are so constructed that the heat l leakage between the atmosphere and interior of the cabinet is so small that the cabinet is commonly referred to as completely insur1"he com artment 20 and brine tank 10 are separated) by the wall 15 which affords a certain amount of insulation, but which conducts heat slowly. For example, the insulating walls may be' of corkboard from four to six inches thick, while the heat transmitting wall 15 may be of corkboard from one-half inch t one inch thick.

It Will be appreciated that ice cream is requiredv to be kept at a very low temperature `such as 6 F., while bottled goods are required to be kept at a relatively high temperature, for example, 35 or 40 F. Conscquently, the brine must be maintained at the temperature of 6o in the tank 10, but the adjacent compartment 20 must be kept at a temperature of 3 5 or 40. The wall 15 cools` the compartment 20 because it conducts heat from the compartment to the brine tank. At the same time it prevents the compartment from becoming too cold because `it'insulates it to a certain extent, that is it prevents the heat from flowing rapidly enough to cause excessively low temperatures. vHthin the compartment 20 at the side opposite the heat transmitting wall 15, I place a brine circulating container 30, which occupies substantially the entire end of the compartment. Preferably this container is formed as a thin, completely closed tank and is placed on edge near the wall 21, leaving spaces 31 and 31a for the circulation of air. The sides of the tank may be held together by stay bolts 36, which enable the tank to withstand the hydrostatic pressure of the brine without bulging. The container 30 isy connected to the of the brine through the system.

top and bottom of the brine tank 10 respec-v tively, by pipes 32 and 33 disposed along a side wall 35 between the circulating container and brine tank 10.

Since the evaporator 18 cools the brine vin the tank 10 toa temperature of about 6 and since the brine in the tank 30 absorbs heat from the goods stored in the compartment 20, a thermo-syphon circulation of the brine through both containers and the pipes 32 and 33 is set up. A valve 34 may be placed in one of the pipes for regulating the circulation In this manner the brine may be circulated at 4any desired rate and the temperature of the compartment 20 maintained atany desired point above that of the tank 10.

The circulating tank 30 provides a bailie for directing the circulation of air within the compartment 20, the air circulating as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2. Because the tank v30 is placed opposite the conducting wall 15, the local air currents set up by each will be distributed symmetrically throughout the compartment. And preferably the length and hei ht of the compartment and conductivity o the Wall 15 are soproportioned with respect to each other that the two air circulating paths produce substantially uniform.. circulation throughout the compartment. cooled at one end by a circulating tank 30 and at the other end by the heat transmitting wall 1'5, while the pipes 32 and 33 contribute to the'refrigerating effect along the wall 35. By this arrangement the temperature of the compartment'may be kept-very nearly uniform throughout.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

l-Vhat is claimed is as follows:

1'. Refrigerating apparatus con'lprising in combination a. storage container for refrigerating liquid having insulating Walls and a heat transmitting Wall, a storage compartment adjacent the heat transmitting wall, a circulating container for refrigerating liquiddisposed in the compartment opposite the heat transmitting wall and connected to the storage container, and means for chilling vthe liquid in the storage container to set up circulation thru both said containers.

2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a storage container for refrigerating1 liquid, a storage compartment adjacent t e container, a circulating container connected to the storage container and disposed within the storage compartment for cooling said compartment,`said circulating container being disposed substantially across one end of the compartment and displacedk from the end to provide an air circulating .partment opposite the heatk` transmitting Thus the compartment is 0 eratmg hquid havmg a heat transmlttmg 7 'Wall, a compartment adjacent the heat transmittmg wall, a thin vertical circulating container disposed across the wall o the comwall, conduits disposed along an adjacent Wall for connecting the storage container and the circulating containers, and means forv chilling the liquid inl the storage container for setting up circulation in both said containers. .f A

4. Refrigerating apparatus comprisingincombination a storage container for refrigerating liquid having insulating walls and a heat transmitting Wall, a storage compart- 'e5 ment adjacent the heat transmitting wall, and a thin vertical circulating container connected to the storage container and disposed adjacent the opposite 'Wall of the compartment to provide a baie for circulating air in the compartment, and means for chilling the liquid in the storage container to set up circulation in both containers.

5. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a storage container for refrigeratingliquid having `a heat transmitting wall, a storage compartment adjacent the container, an air circulating baille disposed substantiall across the end of the comparte ment opposite the heat transmitting Wall and 10g displaced from the end, means associated with-the baille for containing refrigerating liquid, means connecting said containing means to the storage container, and meansl for chilling the liquid in the storage con- 10g tainer to set up circulation through said containing means.

6. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a storage container for refrigerating liquid having insulating, walls and a heat transmitting wall, a storage compartment adjacentthe .heat transmitting wall, a circulating container for refrigerating liquid disposed in the compartment opposite the heat transmitting wall and connected to the stora e container, and means for chilling the liqui 'in the storage container to set up circulation through both said containers, the dimensions of the compartment and the conductivity o the transmitting wall being so proportioned with respect to each other and to the circulating container that substantially uniform circulation of air is induced throughout the compartment.

In testimony whereof I hereto aiiix my signature.

- GEORGE `A. BUVINGER. 

